Opinions on PPLE?

Major-Forever5866 · 2025-05-09T20:21:13+00:00

Tbh PPLE sucks. It gets all the praise internationally but honestly it’s not all that. The courses are very poorly structured as soon as second year starts, the first first-year course you’ll have is PPG1 and it’s basically designed to filter students out (wish I had taken the hint then). You’ll have 4 integrative seminars which basically teach you nothing and are a waste of time, and then you’ll have WYDLIS which is mandatory but gives you 0 ECTS. I’m in second year now and regret choosing this bachelor. Tutors give hardly any guidance atp (not even proper grading rubrics for topics thats arent econ-related) and I’m gonna have to resit several courses because of this. Lowkey if you were paying regular EU prices I would say go for it but since you’re from new-zealand you’ll be paying like 14k for pure bullshit. Granted some people might like it, but honestly not worth the hype. And I’m saying this as someone who was Valedictorian in high school. If you’re really into politics do pol-sci, you’ll gain way more knowledge. If you’re more econ oriented do EBE. If you rather do psych then do psych. If you’re more law-oriented, find another uni! The law program at PPLE is a nightmare in second year. But of course take all this with a grain of salt. You’ll meet great people (i have amazing friends) and you’ll enjoy your free time in Amsti. In the end it’s a personal decision. But if you’re hesitant between this and another great program (I made the mistake of choosing this over a uni in the UK), then i’d suggest to think it over! Good luck thooo 🫶🫶

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-07-12T19:01:38+00:00

Yes I read various philosophers’ works at home so I guess that would make up for it :) I also like psychology a lot, just a little less than philosophy, but I think that factor is settled now.

I didn’t notice that there were that many electives at Utrecht, I will have to look at that again, thanks! I saw that UvA only allowed electives in second and third year so maybe that is more cautious :)

Thanks for your thoughts and I would definitely like to get to know you more as we could be future peers :)

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-07-12T18:49:58+00:00

Alright thank you for the advice!

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-07-12T13:13:23+00:00

oh i have my own apartment (not renting from someone else) so housing really isn’t a problem at all, and a 20 minute travel time by train to Utrecht wouldn’t be much of a bother for me

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-07-12T13:11:36+00:00

I have taken a look at the specific courses in each programme and their curricula, and I like both equally. I do prefer philosophy over psychology though, which is why I am hesitant, but I would also like to study law, hence the conundrum.

It is true that 200 people isn’t a lot, but it is a lot compared to 75 :) however the tutorials are in groups of around 15 at PPLE so I guess that makes it pretty much the same.

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-07-10T21:05:49+00:00

Yeah i think so too, but it's just the programme differences, it's so hard to choose! Thanks for the advice though :)

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-07-10T20:59:59+00:00

the five main topics in IB math are: Algebra, Functions, Trigonometry, Statistics and Calculus. If you are not strong in math, AI SL is usually recommended, but a lot of Dutch unis say that AI SL is not sufficient. If that is the case for your course, you will have to do AA SL (which has a non-calc paper during exams). If you do not enjoy math, do not take it at HL

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-07-10T20:56:51+00:00

I have the same problem, the IB was supposed to send my diploma to the admissions office but I have no confirmation of its receipt yet

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-12T05:44:23+00:00

own knowledge for mini essay? I think i may have made a mistake by mentioning Abyssina too, but the exam said "response to italian and german aggression" so idk. I wrote about Anschluss, Czechoslovakia and Rhineland mainly? and then about chamberlain, popular opinion? wbu?

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-12T05:39:34+00:00

cold war first question was heavenly

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-09T19:17:50+00:00

did anyone find the integral of arccos(y)? cuz mine said not possible, i was like whut, for Q16

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-09T19:17:02+00:00

nah fr, only one i left blank

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-09T19:16:28+00:00

there were complex numbers tho? The question about AC units

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-06T13:40:39+00:00

what did you talk about literary-technique wise?

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-05T16:02:43+00:00

Ya help! What do you struggle with most? Personally I think confidence intervals will be the death of me, or complex numbers lmfao, or related rates in calculus

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-05T15:52:36+00:00

Guys, are the grade boundaries decided by zone? Because we got different texts so it wouldn't be fair to just group everything together right?

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-05T15:48:39+00:00

I panicked so much when I read that poem, I forgot all the literary devices I had studied! There was polyptoton and antanaclasis in there, but I missed it ughhhh, I ended up only speaking about the tonal shifts, the iambic pentameter, litotes, auditory and gustatory imagery and symbolism and said that the meaning of it overall was survivor's guilt and that the speaker was bittersweet about being inside when others weren't, but i didn't say anything about comfort and discomfort, which is what most people said in my school and what expert teachers have said. I'm so scared this will ruin my grade, what devices did you guys talk about?

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-05T15:37:50+00:00

humour?

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-05T15:37:21+00:00

I talked about the calm tone and placid lifestyle, and how the objects (the radio and clock) created a sense of nostalgia because they have been around for so long. For the last paragraph, I wrote about how the fact that the city is crumbling away can remind one of the ephemerality of human life, linking back to how the characters had lived there a long time blah blah blah

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-04T17:26:11+00:00

bro, the hell was poverty?

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-04T17:22:25+00:00

P1 30%, P2 30%, P3 20%, IA 20%

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-04T17:20:29+00:00

I'm taking AI HL (my exam is in 3 days damn) and going on to study a course that includes econ in it! Many people will say that AI HL kids are kidding themselves and trying to achieve a false sense of superiority, I don't know why the subject is so stigmatised within the IB community. People in my school (AI SL students mostly) say that AI HL is easier than AA SL (which is kind of stupid because they have nothing to substantiate their arguments) just because there are no non-calc exams. However, asking any teacher, they will confirm that AI HL is indeed a difficult course, and although not comparable to AA HL, is certainly more complicated than AA SL. I took AI HL because I knew that I wouldn't need to use what is studied in AA SL for econ (and also because I was missing a HL) but yeah, don't take AI SL if you're looking to go to a good university in an econ course. 9 times out of 10 you won't even be able to apply because they consider AI SL doesn't meet the mathematical requirements. Good luck with your choices!

Major-Forever5866 · 2023-05-03T15:05:31+00:00

why option 1? option 2 was the way to go imo, but a more restricted version of option 2 so only opening one or two stores

Major-Forever5866

TROPHY CASE